Health & Wellness

From lemonade to lemon meringue pie and lemon chicken to lemon vinaigrette, lemons can be found in a wide variety of dishes and drinks that showcase the incredible, unique flavor of this humble citrus. But did you know that lemons are also used for things other than to add great flavor? Here are some uses for lemons that you may find helpful in the kitchen.

Crisp lettuce. Need to revive lettuce leaves? Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to a bowl of cold water; add lettuce leaves to water and place bowl in the refrigerator for one hour.

No-crack hard-boiled eggs. Brush eggshells with lemon juice before adding eggs to the pot. The lemon juice will help keep the shells from cracking while they cook.

No-clumps brown sugar. Place a slice of lemon peel into brown sugar to keep it from clumping.

No-stick rice. When cooking rice, add a couple of drops of lemon juice to the water to keep rice from sticking and to whiten the rice.

In Season

The end of the year is a festive time, with plenty of festive food. But come January 1, there is widespread resolve to live healthier lives, and make healthier choices about what, and how much we are eating. There is no need to sacrifice enjoyment of your food simply because you are shifting to a healthier menu. Work with winter's refreshing variety of fresh produce and add some new spices for flavor sensations that are sure to keep things interesting.